Monaro - Targeting fertiliser applications to soil
| Project start date: | 30 June 2011 |
| Project end date: | 30 August 2014 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Sheep |
| Relevant regions: | Southern Australia |
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Summary
Monaro soils differ intrinsically in their nutrient properties and carrying capacities and therefore differ substantially in their fertilizer requirements. Globally increasing fertiliser prices coupled with declining nutrient resources, make it imperative that farmers adopt a more efficient and targeted approach to fertility management. This project value-added onto an existing "soil club" project which is addressing the issue of whole-farm nutrient planning by implementing an annual, bulk soil testing program over the last four years backed up with an annual interpretation & analysis session.
This Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) expanded the soil club activities by the formation of paddock trials to link theory with the practice of correcting nutrient deficiencies and the impact on pasture legume composition. The paddock trials also focussed specifically on comparing S fertiliser products and their soil retention properties.
Results to date of the MFS soil testing program highlighted the extent and distribution of nutrient deficiencies on the basalt, shale and granite soil types. Their interpretation gave producers the skills to better analyse their soil tests and to use long-term soil monitoring to set nutrient targets on a paddock-by-paddock basis, linking annual fertiliser inputs with sustainable increases in stocking rates.
Objectives
The overall aim of the project was to address the management of soil nutrient deficiencies and their impact on legume content of pastures in the Monaro district and to enable more informed fertiliser management decisions and targeting of fertiliser investments.
Progress
On the basalt soils, 20% are below optimum for phosphorous (P), 80% are below optimum for sulphur (S) and 20% of soils are P & S deficient. There is adequate to high Potassium (K) levels.
On the granite soils, 60% are below optimum for P, 80% below optimum for S and 25% are below optimum for K. 55% are P & S deficient and 25% are P, S and K deficient.
On the shale soils, 80% are below optimum for P, 80% below optimum for S and 50% are below optimum for K. 70% are P&S deficient and 35% are P, S & K deficient.
